Means for making plaited work in upholstering



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. B. PITN ER, MEANS FOR MAKING PLAITED WORK IN UPHOLSTERING. No. 577,809. Patented Feb. 23, 1897.

5% f L v 2 Sheets-Sh eet 2v Patented Feb. 23,1897

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I H, B. PITNBR; MEANS FOR MAKING PLAITED WORK IN UPHOLSTERING.'

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we uomus Perms c0, mom-urban; wAsnmamm 11c HENRY B. PITNER, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ALFRED FRESCHL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

MEANS FOR MAKING PLAITED WORK IN UPHOLSTERING.

e SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,809, dated February 23, 1897.

Application filed February 23, 1895 Serial No. 539,460. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. PITNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Making Plaited Work in Upholstering; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to improvements in means for making plaited Work in upholstering; and it consists in the mechanism hereinafter described for receiving the outer or upper fabric, folding the same in plaits, retaining the same in place, holding the filling, pressing the latter into suitable form, and placing the tuft-buttons at certain predetermined locations in the completed work. I attain the above purposes by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an upholstering-machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the bottom or base of the mold, the upwardly-projecting side and end pieces being removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the clench-iron. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the plaiters on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pin-board. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the follower-board. Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the pressure-head and its end pieces. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the upholstering-machine. Fig. 9 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the mold, composed of the bottom and the upwardlyprojecting side and end pieces, the sectional plane following the line 9 9 in Fig. 2.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views. My improvedmachine is intended to be of such size as to form and complete at one operation the plaited upholstering required for carriage, sofa, or other padded backs or cushions of any desired size; but as the parts are the same in kind in every instance I shall in this application merely show and describe my invention as employed in the seating of two tuft-buttons, or the construction of six biscuits.

Ais a portable frame consisting of the base 1, two standards 2, and the upper cross-beam 3, seated at its extremities in and supported by said standards 2.

B is a bench permanently seated on the base 1, a short distance within standards 2, and suitably supported by legs 4 over the center of base 1.

i O is the mold for receiving, in an inverted position, the fabric which constitutes the upper or, in case the plaiting is used in a vertical position, the outer fabric. 011 the outer edge of the walls of said mold are formed the plaitreceiving recesses P, opposite the lines of plaiting. In the base of the mold are formed openings 5 at the intended localities for the tuft-buttons, and on the inner surface of the bottom of mold 0 there are seated the hollow .tuftppening guards D. Said guards D are of a tubular character, are of a height about that of the filling when the latter is compressed, and have each four equidistant, longitudinal flutes 6 in their periphery and may be constructed of more or less of said flutes. The purpose of the guards D is to prevent the filling from working into the openings 5 left for the insertion of the tuft-buttons and to fold the cloth equally to form the plaits.

The inner surface of the bottom of the mold O is provided with the concavities 7, of about the form and size of the upper surface of the finished biscuits.

The mold Gin use is placed upon the table B, being held firmly thereon by short dowelpins 7, seated on the table B, which enter small openings 8 in the base of mold O, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The fabric for the upper or outer side of the filling is then laid face down in the mold O and by means of plaiters E, Fig. 4, is properly plaited and forced to the bottom of the guards D and mold O. The plaits on the outer rows are laid by hand and temporarily tacked in the recesses P on the outside of the mold. The lower portion of each plaiter E is recessed so as to straddle one of the upwardly-projecting tucking guards, tubes, or devices D. When the guards are provided with four equidistant flutes, as shown, each plaiter E is recessed so as to have its lower portion composed of four equidistant points 10, which are so far apart that in applying the plaiter to the guard the four points pass down in the flutes on the outer side of the guard. After the fabric or other covering has been spread over the guards D the plaiters are applied to the same and remain in place until the filling has been applied. The plaiters press the fabric closely down around the guards, drawing the fullness of the fabric into equidistant plaits which radiate from the guards. After the fabric has been so plaited and while it is held in position by the plaiters the filling is applied. The guide-box F, which is essentially a box without either top or bottom, is then placed over the mold O, with its lower edge about on the plane of the table B, and is temporarily suspended by its frictional contact with the rubber or leather buffers 9, formed on the outside of mold C. The follow-board G is then placed on the filling and pressed down by hand, and the plaiters E are then withdrawn, the follow-board G removed, and the usual strawboard H is then placed on top of the guide-box F, and the clench-iron J is put on top of said strawboard. The strawboard and clench-irons are held in place by short pins 11, seated in the upper edge of guide-box F. The follow-board G is then placed on top of the clench-ir0n, and the pressure-head K, consisting of the main center 12 and end cross plates 13, is then placed on the upper surface of the follow-board G and held in position by suitable pins 14, seated in the upper surface of said follow-board. Downward pressure is then exerted on the beam K and the filling within the guide-box F by means of a descending screw L, seated. centrally in the upper cross-beam 3 and working in a fixed threaded nut 15, attached to the lower side of said beam. After the filling within the guide-box F is thus clownwardly compressed within the mold O the guide-box F is dropped below the bench B and suitable clamps caused to grasp vertically the follow-board and the bottom of the mold C at the sides of the latter. Lateral recesses 16 are formed centrally in the sides of the bench B to admit said clamps. The screw L is then Withdrawn, the pressure being removed, and the follow-board G, mold O, and interposed filling, strawboard, and clench-iron clamped together as aforesaid, taken to the work-bench, the temporary tacks removed, and the fabric and strawboard tacked together or sewed around the edges; or, if tacks are used, they are driven from the fabric side toward the clench-iron and clenched by meeting the latter. If tacks are not intended to be used on the edges of the plaited work, the clench-iron may be omitted. The tuft-buttons or clench-nails are then inserted in the openings 5 in the bottom of the mold O and are forced through the guards D and the strawboard II by means of the pins 17 of the pin-board M and are held in position thereby, projecting through the strawboard II at the large openings 18 in the followboard G, and are there clenched by any suitable instrument, the tuft-buttons being held meanwhile from withdrawal by the work resting on the pin-board M, the pins 17 thereof pressing upward and against the heads of the tuft-buttons while the latter are being clenched on the upper surface of the strawboard II in said openings 18. I usually make the guide-box F eight and on g-half inches deep, but it may be made less or more, according to the thickness of the work desired.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a machine for making plaited work in upholstering, the combination of a frame A provided with base 1, standards 2, beam 3 and nut 15, the bench B seated centrally on the base of said frame, moldboard O seated on said bench, and provided with tuft-hole guards D, having fluted sides 6, plaiters E adapted to be pressed downward on said flutes 6 and to project upwardly from the guards D, guide-box F adapted to inclose mold C and to project upwardly therefrom, and adapted to receive and retain, during pressure, the necessary filling, strawboard lI placed over said filling, and follow-board G imposed upon said strawboard, and the screw-bolt L seated in nut 15 and adapted to exert downward pressure mediately or immediately upon said follow-board and thereby force said filling within said mold substantially as shown and for the purpose described.

2. In a machine for making plaiting in upholstering, a suitably-supported mold 0, provided with upwardly projecting tuft hole guards D, having fluted sides 6, plaiters E adapted to force the fabric down over guards D, and form radial plaits in right lines therefrom, guide-box F adapted to inclose mold O and extend upwardly therefrom to receive the necessary filling, strawboard H, placed over such filling, and means substantially as shown for compressing the latter within the mold O, and suitable means for seating and clenching or otherwise fastening the tuft-buttons within the guards D for the purpose specified.

3. The combination with the mold provided with upwardly-projecting hollow tucking de vices, of a follower provided with openings registering with said tucking devices, and a pin-board provided with pins adapted to be inserted from the bottom of the mold into said tucking devices and support the tuftbuttons, substantially as set forth.

l. The combination with the mold provided with fluted hole-guards projecting upwardly from the base of said mold, of plaiters provided with downwardly projecting points adapted to be pressed down the fluted sides of said guards and to form the fabric into plaits, substantially as set forth.

5. In an upholstering device, the combination of a base provided with upwardly-projecting tucking devices, of detachable recessed plaiters which are adapted to straddle said tucking devices, substantially as set forth.

6. In an upholstering device, the combination of a base provided with upwardly-projecting tucking devices, of detachable plaiters provided at their lower ends With downwardly-projecting points which straddle said tucking devices, substantially as set forth.

7. In an upholstering device, the combination of a mold provided with perforated tucking devices, a surrounding casing, plaiters which straddle said tucking devices and force the material forming the outside of the article being formed over said tucking devices, a top, and means for forcing the parts together and holding them while the npholstering operation is being completed, substantially as set forth.

8. In an npholstering device, the combination with the mold provided with upwardlythe article being formed down over said tucking devices, and a pin-board provided with pins adapted to be inserted from the bottom of the mold into said tucking devices and support the tuft-buttons.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. PITNER. Witnesses: NEWELL F. NioHoLs, JOHN S. SEARS. 

